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Are you running on a master valve? If your not sure, check your wiring panel and if there is a wire on "MV" or "Master", you have a master valve. The reason I am asking this is because if you don't have a master valve, that zone should run all the time, I think you have a stuck valve. You could also try unscrewing the diaphram and cleaning out the inside of any sand or debris and try it from there.

I checked out the controller box and yes, there is an "MV" connection with a wire going to it. I'm guessing that means I do have a master valve.

As these zones (1 and 2) have always shut off in the past, I'm confident that that's the way the system should work.

I'm a good student but hardly an informed one when it comes to this stuff and appreciate your help. The valve you feel may be stuck is the master or the one in the ground with the solenoid attached? Where would the master valve be located?

I've never had a valve apart and would really like to hear someone promise me that unscrewing a solenoid and putting in a new one would solve the problem but if I've got to dig further...well, I've got the time and inclination if you are willing to put up with my lack of familiarity.

The valve(s) you have stuck are zone's 1 and/or 2. Do you have the valves incased in a valve box?

The easiest thing to do would be to replace the soleniod first, if that doesn't work, then I would suggest you open the diaphram and clean any debris out. If that doesn't work, then I would suggest you go on and replace the whole valve.

The valves are in boxes and I picked up and installed new solenoids in valves for zones 1 and 2. Problem still there.

I've got Hunter HPV type valves in there and while I've never opened one up before, it looks to be pretty straight forward with the four philips head screws on top of the valve. That will be next.

I did notice that there is water spritzing out of the valve seal on zone 1 and zone 2 so I'm hoping it's a dirt problem and I'll have good news to report in the next post. I only get to work on this stuff when I get home from work so I kinda' gotta' go step by step.

1. Pulled the valve covers and cleaned for zones 1-2-3. I did zone 3 just to see if there was any noticable diference...there was not. Zones 1 and 2 still coming on when zone 1 activated but now zone 2 goes off when it should while only zone 1 keeps running.

2. At the controller (as drpete suggested), I hooked zone 3 to first the zone 1 connection and then the zone 2 connection and it worked fine. From this, I think I can eliminate the controller as the problem?

3. But, with the wires for zone 1 and 2 just dangling in the air off the controller, those zones still come on when the system is powered on. <img src=icon_smile_question.gif border=0 align=middle>

4. I considered maybe the Terminex guy nicked a wire as he inserted those bait traps in the ground so I dug up and around a sprinker head he demolished. The system pipes run under that sprinker and the wires are below the pipes so he could not have nicked a wire without first breaking a pipe which he did not.

So back to you guys... any more thoughts with this updated information?

All the above convinced me it had to be in those two valves so I went back out and removed the solenoids, removed the cover of the valve and really cleaned the diaphams and other parts up with a toothbrush. After reinstallation, I used a rubber mallet hammer and rapped each of the valves on the outside as well.

Voila! Next time system check everything worked perfectly!

I don't know if it was that aggressive cleaning or frustrated rap that got me back in business but it worked. Now that I'm more familiar with the inner workings of an irrigation valve, I'm going to try and find more information on how it really works, what the diaphram does and how pressures within the valve work.

Thanks again for all the help, <b>Alex</b> and any others who may have been reading along and feeling my pain.